Dinner surprise
by TX549
Summary: SG1 meets for dinner, Sam gets a surprise. Small one shot. No beta. Sorry.


The couple walked into the bar that led into the restaurant, looking for their teammates who were supposed to meet them. They scanned the crowd. No sign of them.

"It looks like they are not here yet. Want me to get us drinks?" The man asked his beautiful blonde companion.

She smiled. It was not lost on her how close he had moved to her when the guy near the door had looked her over when they came in. What amused her was the death stare he given the stranger. She was glad he did not have his sidearm or there might have been trouble.

"Sure, I'll grab a table." She answered.

She started to move off, but noticed he followed. Seeing her raised eyebrow, he explained "Don't like the way some of these people look at you like a piece of meat."

She lowered her head and smiled. She was warmed by his affection and protection of her. _Don't worry Jack. There is only one man in here I am interested in_.

They found a table in the corner. He leaned over "I will be back with our drinks, okay?" Seeing her nod, he turned to leave.

She wondered if he had any idea she was checking out his backside when he walked away.

She had been more than pleasantly surprised when he had arrived at the door to pick her up. He had dressed in pressed khakis and nice button down shirt that fit him well under his worn leather jacket. He had even forgone his baseball cap.

He must have noticed her expression because he had managed to stammer out "I thought I could at least look nice on your birthday." _Yes you do_.

She watched as he stood in line at the bar. She noticed he had given the entire bar the complete once over, as if searching for threats, and then made sure he could keep an eye on her. She smiled at him and he gave her his grin that made her tingle inside. She noticed an attractive brunette get in line behind him. The woman was obviously checking him out. Sam felt her hackles rise. Jack must have noticed she tensed as his expression changed and eyes narrowed. He glanced around, looking for threats. She noticed his hand had moved up closer to his beltline. _Habit or did he actually have his sidearm_? She shook her head at him and smiled to ease his thoughts and he relaxed some.

Sam noticed the woman said something to him. Jack either did not respond or gave a typical flippant answer since the woman didn't say anything else. Sam watched a moment then noticed she was talking to him again. _Okay, lady, you and I are going to have a discussion in a moment_. Jack finally noticed the woman and replied back, then turned his attention to the bar.

That was when Teal'c and Daniel showed up. Daniel slid into seat, with Teal'c taking the seat beside him.

"Hey guys, how are you?" Sam said, keeping a casual eye on Jack and the brunette.

"We are well Colonel Carter, how are you on your joyous day?" Teal'c asked.

"I'm good Teal'c."

"Caught in traffic, sorry. Happy birthday Sam" Daniel said. He turned to see what Sam was paying attention to. He saw Jack standing in line at the bar. Then he noticed the brunette trying to talk to him. _Uh oh_. He turned back to Sam hoping to distract her.

"So, how long have you been waiting?" Daniel asked.

"Not long" she said, finally gazing at them.

She saw that Jack was closer to the bar now, and the brunette had gotten more insistent on talking to Jack. Jack was looking like he was not very interested in talking, but the lady was chatting away at him. Her hand reached out to touch Jack's arm. _Hell no_! Sam bolted out of her chair and headed to the bar. She heard Daniel call out her name as she left but she did not look back.

Daniel just turned around and looked at Teal'c who had looked to see what why Sam had taken off. Seeing the issue, he simply turned back around and faced front.

"You think we are going to get banned from another restaurant?" Daniel asked

"Indeed, the chances are climbing exponentially as we speak, Daniel Jackson." Teal'c replied.

She walked right up to Jack and inserted herself between Jack and the woman, wrapping her arm around his waist. Jack's eyes widened in surprise and his eyebrows went up.

"Excuse me," The brunette said, "I was here, and I also happened to be talking to that man"

"You mean the one I came in where in with?" Sam asked sweetly.

Jack knew that tone meant trouble. He hoped the woman was smart enough to pick up on it. Even he knew better than to tangle with Sam when she used that tone.

"Well, just because you came here together does not mean you are a couple you know."

_Nope, dumb as a brick. Sam was definitely going to kill this woman and we will be going to jail_. "Uh, she's…" he started to say.

"Do yourself a favor and stay away. You are so not even in his league." Sam's tone had dropped to danger level.

By now the conversation had attracted attention. Jack placed his arm around Sam's back and leaned to whisper in her ear. "Let it go Sam."

Sam turned to Jack and moved closer to him. His arm naturally slid around her waist. She tugged slightly and he looked over and she reached up and kissed him deeply.

Daniel and Teal'c had been watching in case their friend was going to need help. Teal'c eyebrows went up and Daniel's were at his hairline.

"Well, guess Sam decided to prove her point." Daniel stated.

"Indeed." Teal'c said. He paused for about a minute before adding. "Daniel Jackson, I know I have been gone to Dakara for a while, but have I missed a development that you had not informed me of?"

Daniel looked at his friend and shrugged. "Apparently?"

As Jack placed their beer order he heard the brunette mutter "Fine, guess dumb blondes get all the fun."

Luckily his arm was around Sam's waist so all he had to do was tighten when she tried to twist around. _God was she strong_.

Jack turned them both around so he could look at the brunette. "For your information, this particular blonde happens to have a PHD in a degree you would probably have to look up in a book to know what it means, and she is one of the most highly decorated Colonels in the United States Air Force with more combat time than ninety percent of the entire Marine Corp. I suggest you take her advice and just stay away."

He kept a tight grip on Sam, afraid if he let her go, she would attack. He turned them both to the bar and he paid for the drinks and they left to go sit back down. Sam was still agitated he could tell. He leaned over so he was close to her ear.

"I am sorry Sam. I really was trying to ignore her. And she doesn't hold a candle to you." He said.

He noted she still remained stiff, but she leaned against him as they walked to the table and she slid in followed by him.

Jack handed out the beers and the water for Teal'c. "Hi guys, sorry it took so long."

"Oh that's okay. The show was good too" Daniel said, eyes glancing from Jack to Sam.

Jack looked confused. "Show?"

He was upset Sam was mad at him because that woman tried talking to him. He placed a hand on her thigh and was somewhat relived when she immediately put her hand down on top of it and squeezed.

"Indeed. You are Colonel Carter put on a good display. Unless there is something you would like to mention to us." Teal'c said.

"Oh, that woman at the bar kept talking to me. She would not let me ignore her." Jack said. "Sam bailed me out."

"Oh, is that what that was?" Daniel said

Jack was getting more confused. _Did Daniel think he was paying attention to the woman_?

His voice dropped to a level that those who knew him meant danger. "Yes, Daniel, it was. Why…"

He stopped when Sam pulled their hands out from under the table and still holding together, placed them put them on top of the table as she scooted closer to him.

"He means the kiss Jack." Sam stated.

"Oh" Jack said. "I guess you wondered why we asked you to come out tonight."

Daniel and Teal'c both placed their arms on the table and leaned forward in a pose of rapt attention. Neither one so much as smiled, but both enjoyed watching Jack suddenly start squirming.

"Well, Sam and I have been kind of seeing each other a while now." Jack stated.

Three eyebrows shot up. "How long is a while?" Daniel asked.

"Since we went as a team to the cabin the first time." Sam said.

Teal'c and Daniel had surprised looks on their face.

"Is there a reason you kept this from us?" Teal'c asked.

Both Jack and Sam winced at the almost hurt tone in Teal'c's voice.

"We just, you know, kind of wanted to work on it ourselves and see how things went. We wanted to enjoy us being us for a while." Jack said. "It was not anything against you guys." He was afraid they had hurt their two closest friends.

Both Teal'c and Daniel leaned back in their seats. Sam and Jack exchanged uncomfortable looks.

"Guys, really, we're sorry we didn't…" Sam began to explain.

Sam stopped when she saw Daniel reach into his wallet and pull out a twenty dollar bill and hand it to Teal'c.

Teal'c took the bill, folded it and put it in his pocket. "Thank you Daniel Jackson."

Sam narrowed her eyes in suspicion. "What was that?"

"Daniel Jackson lost a bet as to the time when you two actually became a couple." Teal'c said proudly.

"You knew?" Jack asked.

"Of course we knew Jack. We are not stupid, you know. Don't forget, we have been around the two of you for over ten years now and I have known you even longer than I have known Sam." Daniel said.

"But you never said, or indicated you knew." Sam stated.

"Indeed. We both knew you would tell us when you were ready. Until then we were willing to keep your secret and let you enjoying your happiness in private." Teal'c said.

Sam and Jack looked at each other a moment then back at their friends. "Thank you two both for being so understanding" Jack said.

"Jack, you guys are family. You three here and Cassie are my only family. I just want to see you happy."

"Thank you Daniel" Sam said and reached across the table and patted his hand.

Daniel looked at Teal'c with a gleam in his eye. He looked back at his friends. "So, I do have a question."

"What's that?" Jack asked.

"You said you have been a couple since our first trip to the cabin. That doesn't mean that was the first time you two…"

"Daniel!" Sam exclaimed, her face turning beet red. Jack just looked down but they could see he was getting red too.

"But we were there!" Daniel said.

"Daniel, you two were not around all the time" Jack said.

Both Jack and Sam watched in amazement as Daniel fished another twenty and handed it to Teal'c.

"Okay, guys, really?" Jack said in an exasperated voice. He looked up and saw the manager waving to him.

"Our table is ready." Jack muttered, eager to get rid of the thought of his friends betting on his sex life with Sam.

They slid out of the booth and walked to the restaurant section, Jack with his arm around Sam's shoulders and hers around his waist. She happened to glance at a table and noticed the brunette talking to a guy. She managed to flash Sam a dirty look as they walked by. _Tough luck lady, this one is mine_.

Jack noticed Sam's glance and said in a low voice "Thought you were not the jealous type?"

She smiled. "Usually I am not, but I will fight for what is mine." She said leaning into him.

The restaurant was nice and the food was excellent. They had their desert and were sitting talking. Jack looked around and decided. _Now is as good a time as any_.

"Guys, the reason I brought you here. Yes, I like seeing you, it's great, but I had an ulterior motive. Sam is not going back to Atlantis. She is taking command of the Hammond."

Both Teal'c and Daniel congratulated her.

"Thanks guys."

"So, as you know, apparently for longer than we thought, we have been together for a while. So I wanted our two closest friends to see this." He turned to Sam.

"Samantha Carter, these last few years with you have been the absolute best in my life. I know the long distance has made it hard sometimes, but I would not trade a moment of it for anything."

Sam looked intently at him. She could see his eyes watering. _What was going on_?

Jack slid off the chair and got down on one knee. "Sam, would you do me the honor of marrying me?" He held up a ring in his hand.

Sam felt the tears fall from her eyes, she looked at the ring and then at Jack's face. "Yes, oh God yes Jack, I will marry you." She held out her hand as Jack slid the ring on her finger. She looked at it. She liked that the diamond was set low so as not to snag easily. She looked closely. The ring had engravings on it. She realized the engravings were the Stargate symbols for Earth. "It's beautiful Jack." She grabbed his face in her hands and kissed him passionately as Daniel and Teal'c cheered and others in the restaurant who had stopped eating to watch clapped in celebration.

Jack and Sam broke the kiss somewhat embarrassed by all the attention.

"Sometime when you think about it, you may want to check the engraving on the inside." he said.

He grinned as she immediately took the ring off to study the inside. She had to turn in the light to see it. "Always" was engraved on the inside.

She cried some more and he hugged her tight as she put the ring back on. Daniel stood up and walked over and gave both Jack and Sam a hug. "I am so happy for you guys. I really am glad you finally got the happiness you deserve."

Teal'c then embraced them both. "Many blessing on your union. I am happy for you both and look forward to seeing walk the path together."

"Thank you guys. And thank you for being here to share it with us." Sam said.

The waiter showed up with champagne. "Compliments of the management. Congratulations."

"Thank you" Jack said.

They finally got ready to leave. As they walked out Sam noticed the brunette watching her. Instead of a dirty look this time, she smiled and mouthed "Congratulations."

Surprised, Sam nodded and smiled.

That night in their townhome after they had gotten Teal'c and Daniel situated, they lay in bed. Sam was looking at her ring. "It really is beautiful Jack."

"So are you."

"How did you find someone to make it?"

"Well, believe it or not, Henry's wife has a brother that makes custom jewelry."

Sam' eyes got wide. "The brother-in-law of the President of the United States made my ring?"

"Yep. It turns out Henry is a hopeless romantic."

"Is that how you got permission to attend a last minute White House meeting in civilian clothes?" She asked, thinking to him showing up at the townhouse door earlier.

"I wasn't in civilian clothes when I went. He just let me change there."

She giggled. "Only you Jack O'Neill would use the White House as a changing room." She leaned over and kissed him.

As they got ready for sleep, Jack turned on his back and Sam snuggled into him, putting her head on his chest. "Jack?"

"Yes."

"Let's not make this a long engagement. I want to be married before the Hammond ships out."

He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tight. "God I love you Sam."

"I love you too Jack."


End file.
